MORE ABOUT US
Cafexporto was formed in 2020 by Juan Pena and Philip Smith out of the necessity to export coffee from more farms than Hacienda la Papaya. By now Juan had established himself as a Specialty Coffee Producer but a person (Philip Smith) with deep business experience was needed to balance the team. Cafexporto now exports coffee from three farms, Yacuri, La Papaya, and Yunguilla, all produced under the Juan Pena Certified Process. [put this paragraph along side the photo of Juan and Philip in front of boxes]
It is of great importance to us, and somewhat unique in the world, that ALL aspects of coffee production are under our control. From the seeds grown and kept in our Genetic Bank through the dry-mill and packaging, we are able to maintain strict control of all methods. Our world-class logistics team delivers a professional interface with our customers.
Coffee
Coffee
Mother Plants
irrigation
fertilization
new improvements
in Coffee Laboratory
each box shipped
services
plant monitoring
yearly
(two Q-Graders) overseeing
in Ecuador
Lab
Lab
Lab
Lab
Lab
THE TEAM
Juan Peña
Co Founder, CEO
The Company started as a family business 11 years ago, and is now, one of the leaders in specialty coffee in Ecuador and has earned international recognition. Juan’s commitment to quality has resulted in CAFEXPORTO and associated baristas receiving top awards for several years of events held by the US COFFEE CHAMPIONSHIP and SPRUDGE magazine. As a means to increase production, Juan has brought his knowledge and work ethic to other farms in Ecuador allowing these producers, previously unable to find a market, to improve their quality and export their coffee as part of the CAFEXPORTO family. Juan holds an undergraduate degree in business administration and an engineering degree in agronomy from the University of Cuenca.
Philip Smith
Co-Founder,
Business Development
Philip has served in many executive positions during his 40 years of business experience in the United States. Most recently he served as a managing partner of Stone Canyon Venture Partners, LP., a venture capital fund headquartered Southern California. He moved to Cuenca, Ecuador in 2012 where he helped a local rose farm start Ecuador Direct Roses, a farm to florist service. Philip holds a degree in marketing and finance from the University of Denver.
Cristina Yerovi
Administrative Director – Sales
She has been involved in each of the projects for 13 years where she has stood out for the design of key strategies and constant execution focused on the fulfillment of strategic objectives. In addition, her experience in the administrative field and leadership in export and logistics issues in sectors such as floriculture and coffee growing, allow her to direct all the coordination of the coffee export processes of CAFEXPORTO. With her work, she ensures the satisfaction of each client in the shipment and receipt of each order.
Juan Araujo
Quality Control Specialist
Juan works in the Quality Control department and holds a Q Grader certification.
His journey in coffee began in barismo, where he built a strong foundation before moving into specialty coffee from a more technical perspective. With approximately two and a half years of experience in the sector, he has expanded his knowledge through continuous training and specialized courses completed throughout his career.
Segundo Cartuche
Farm manager
Segundo is in charge of all farm operations for CAFEXPORTO. Segundo was born in 1975, in the town of La Papaya and he has always lived in this coffee sector. He worked at Hacienda La Papaya as a gardener for 4 years and then served as the leader of the team for wet milling and coffee drying processing. Segundo has always been a key participant in the execution of the research that CAFEXPORTO carries out with the University of Cuenca. During his work at CAFEXPORTO he has been motivated to start his own production as he has gained technical knowledge by working with Juan Peña. He grows his own coffee, in the town of La Papaya, in an area of one hectare, together with his wife Hilda Segundo and their six children. Ilda also works as one of the leaders of the harvest team at CAFEXPORTO farms. Segundo is always excited to know where his coffee is going and how people enjoy it.
Marlene Cartuche
Production Leader
She is the information management leader within the entire production process at Cafexporto for 5 years where she knows perfectly the operation of each of the machines that process our coffee. She has extensive knowledge in handling industrial machinery and is aware at all times that all the machines work like clockwork in the warehouse. Her fundamental job is to take care of every detail and improve the physical quality of all the grains.
Our Commitments & Beliefs: